Patients' Rights and Responsibilities

Patients have the right to request an EMERGENCY appointment on the same day. It is the patients’ responsibility to let the reception staff know that they need a same day appointment. Emergency appointments can be declined at the discretion of the duty doctor.

You have the right to request a house call if you feel that you are too ill to leave the house. We are only obliged to carry out a house call at the address at which the patient is registered. House visits will be carried out at the discretion of the duty doctor and may be declined if it is felt that a house visit is inappropriate.

Patients have the right to request an appointment with the doctor of their choice, however, if an emergency appointment is requested they must accept that it may not be with their preferred doctor. For non-urgent appointments, patients should expect to get an appointment with the doctor of their choice within 7 days unless the doctor is on leave or sick.

It is the patient’s responsibility to organise appointments at their convenience when requested to do so.

It is the patient’s responsibility to cancel any surgery/hospital appointment which is not convenient or which they may not be able to make as early as possible. It is also the responsibility of the patient to inform the surgery (and the hospital if an appointment has been requested) of any change of address.

Once an investigation has been carried out it is the patients responsibility to contact the practice for the result.

The patient has the right to refuse any treatment offered to you. It is also your right to ask for an explanation of your illness and what the outcome is likely to be.

It is the patients right to complete confidentiality within the surgery (this includes children from 10 years upwards). In order to ensure confidentiality ONLY the patient or a person named by them will be given any results or information by telephone or in the surgery. If a patient wishes they may have someone accompany them during a consultation.

Patients have the right to ask for an explanation as to why the doctor is running more than 30 minutes late during surgery.

If a patient is more than 10 minutes late for an appointment the doctor has the right to ask them to make another appointment.

Under the terms and conditions of the Data Protection Act patients can request to see their medical records; however, they must do so in writing. An appointment will be made with a doctor and the records will be explained. The doctor has the right to withhold any part of these records that they feel may be detrimental to that patient’s health. Records held on the computer will also be explained. A fee will be charged for this service.

Patients have the right to complain about any aspect of their care, surgery surroundings, reception staff or anything else directly relating to the surgery via the Practice Manager. We operate within the guidelines of the NHS complaints procedure details of which can be found at the reception desk.

Patients have the right to make any suggestions, which you feel may improve their care or the care of others, including suggestions relating to the general running of the surgery. If we can carry these out within Health & Safety guidelines we will endeavour to please.

Patients have the right to courteous and polite behaviour from all staff. Equally all staff have the right to courteous and polite behaviour from all patients.

If you as a patient become violent or abusive to the Clinical Staff, the Practice Staff or any person present within the Practice premises or boundaries the GP’s will have no other option but to remove you from their list. There will also be the possibility of Police intervention. You must also be aware that the premises are monitored by CCTV.

We have the right to decline treatment to patients if we think this will be harmful to their health. We also have the right to remove patients from our list who are aggressive, abusive or violent towards staff or other patients.

You may ask for a second opinion from a different GP within the practice if you feel that the treatment/explanation offered to you did not meet your expectations.